Race History

We qualifed 8th with a 7:12 second run. 30 seconds or so off winning pace, but creditably only 10 seconds between 4th and 10th. Sunday's main saw us have a fairly tidy run down the creek, turning in a 33.10, finishing 7th in SuperClass. A good result, boat finished unhurt, as did the skiers, a good weekend had by all.

We are looking forward to next year to improve on our time and position.

Next race we are off to Robinvale were I feel we will go quite well.

Keep looking out for video footage of the Bakers Blitz on board "Top Gun".

SYDNEY BRIDGE TO BRIDGEDATE: NOVEMBER 2009RESULT: FINISHED!!

Not much to report, qualified slowest in SuperClass in Saturday's Hawkesbury Hotshots. The "Rope Gremlins" struck again in the rope run out, 8 seconds to start, rope in 2 pieces.

After wasting 7 minutes in the start area, we started with 3rd grid of Unlimited and headed of for Windsor.

We made the trek over to what we believed was a once thriving community of Berri in S.A,about an hour or so west of Mildura, on the banks of the Murray River. Whilst not overly flushed with competitors, the town and venue itself were quite OK. The location was nice and central to both hotel, Caravan Park and Ski Club.

The race itself was all good, except for Hells Top Turn buoy. You would have only just got around it on social ropes, let alone 280 footers. I’m sure nearly 50% of the field either dropped or had severe issues with this buoy. Ski Racing S.A may want to shorten the course slightly to a bigger expanse of river, to turn safely.

Our weekend, the rope gremlins struck twice. Saturday on running the ropes out in the Superclass Dash with only 10 seconds to go, ‘Presto’, the dairies rope was in 2 pieces. Not happy ‘Jan’.

Onto Sunday we started 7th and made up, I feel, some good ground on the other crews until the Berri Sniper Struck again, we were trying to successfully navigate the near impossible top turn body hugging banks, but on the exit after giving Jimmy some slack rope, ‘Presto’, it snapped.

This created carnage for the next 6 boats with all but ‘Hazy’ dropping their skiers. We made a quick fix on the rope and got going again. It wasn’t much point belting the bejesus out of boat or skiers, as our race was run. Creditably, we finished 4th in Superclass and about 7th or 8th outright.

Congratulations to NGR Racing for taking out 1st and 2nd place. I did happen to notice yet another force boat continuing along the course at Social Speed once their race was over, no names mentioned, it must be something about the Murray and 21 foot forces.

Next off to the ‘Bridge’ with no rope issues and looking for a finish and hopefully a top 5.A thanks to Stuey Little, a la ‘Choc’ Airlines for supplying our 5 star transport to and fro the event, and to Top Gun transport a la ‘Slim’ and Co, thanks for your help and the fishy smell all weekend.